Random Policing or Tyranny?

I read the news paper the other day (I scold myself again for wasting the money….) and found the below article hidden in subtext after the winner of a game show and the elections and ramblings of overseas political incomprehensibility.

Screenshot

The article just reminded me of a conversation I had in the mid 1990’s…..

As a bit of history first. I graduated as a Police Officer in 1980.

Drink driving in those days meant that you were not allowed to drive drunk. We often pulled over a driver a bit after midnight (the pubs ALL closed at midnight) and had the following conversation:

“Hey mate where you off too?”
“Just going home”
“Where you coming from”
“Just been down the pub.”
“You had a few?”
“Yeah but I’m okay…”
“Okay mate take it easy, be careful.”
“Yes sir, can I go?”
“Yes mate…..”

Then a short time later ‘The Limit’ came in at 0.08 which nobody really knew what it meant. It became illegal to drive above the limit of alcohol in the blood, whatever that meant. But, the Government put advertisements on TV and it was a catchy phrase, and maybe it was a song something like “Four Men and Women Two” which turned out to be pretty wrong! Who knew?

Drivers then had to ‘blow in the bag’ (some of you will recognise the ‘altho-test’ in the above photo – no fancy electronics!!!) to show us they we sober. Sorry not sober, or too drunk to drive, but, ‘under the limit’ of 0.08. By the way it was still illegal to drive drunk!

Setting up the bag was a nightmare, breaking off the ends of little glass tubes filled with crystals, then connecting it to a bag and a mouth piece (with bare hands…). Then going through the legal jargon of saying blow until the bag is full. Then if the crystals changed colour above a little red line it meant you went over the limit, which was bad.

But, we didn’t do too many, as you had to be observed committing a traffic offence or driving in a manner which indicated your driving was impaired. This had to be see before the Police could pull you over a get you to ‘blow in the bag.’

Okay, later they brought in electronic breatherlsisers and legislation that gave Police the power to take your car and cancel your license on the side of the road. But, before that they did something else which, brings me to the point of my ramblings.

They (the infamous ‘they’, normally meaning the government or big business…) brought in:

RANDOM BREATH TESTING!!!!!!!

Wow! Randomly Policing the public just in case they were committing a crime with no indication that they have ever committed a crime, might commit a crime, let alone are committing a crime…. it’s all ‘random’ ….. dare I say ‘just in’ case Policing?

It was strange, as this is the main point of my story. When they brought in this ‘random policing model’ I was a Detective and studying to be qualified as a Sergeant. It was an era of enlightenment when Policing studies were aligned with TAFE and University Courses and qualifications actually meant something.

I went along to TAFE as a 30’s something fifteen year ‘veteran’ in the Police with the other students in the class being adolescents and kids all around 18 years old, which was a lot of fun. It came to a bit of a head in class discussions when we were doing something relating to random breath testing and drink driving.

I saw an opportunity to cause trouble, never an opportunity I would let pass by and spoke against the principle of random breath testing. Remember everyone was there just to get qualified in something and each 45 minute lecture in Adelaide TAFE was attended just so you could get a basic pass and get on with life.

I realised something while being the ‘devils advocate’ in this lecture it all came down to one question. I asked that question….

DO YOU BELIEVE IN RANDON BREATH TESTING …. AND IF SO, WHY?

Oh yeah, they were all for it. IT Stopped dangerous people on the road, saved lives, lowered traffic injuries and deaths. Unfortunately, experience tells us other than complete tyranny, enforcement has never actually ‘stopped’ a destructive community behaviour or crime problem. I love the story of alcohol prohibition in the US, it worked so well, it created “Organised Crime!”

Now, I want you to imagine you are at home one night with your family just finished tea and taking your positions to watch “Farmer Wants a Wife” or some other inane TV show designed to make you dumber. There is a knock on the door: the family all look at each other in surprise “Oh, I wonder who that could be?” We hear Dad open the front door and a measured and authoritarian voice is heard to say:

“Good evening sir”
Dad: “Hello Officer how can I help you?”
“We are conducting random house searches for drugs and stolen proptery… blah, blah, blah…

Okay, you say not probable, but, I say inevitable…?

But, can you not apply your reasoning for agreeing with random breath testing to this ‘random house searching’. Are they not justified on the same principles?

By allowing the Police to randomly ‘police’ us we are handing over our ‘right’ to go about our business peacefully without interference from an over controlling or oppressive regime. We are handing over all our rights to not be considered ‘possibly guilty until proven innocent.’ That is really the crux of the matter. Your presumption of innocence is surrendered by any form of random policing.

Oh, I hear you say again but that will never happen in Australia!

Well, you mean like, when you are randomly stopped in your car, and the Police have the power of ‘judge, jury and executioner’ when they cancel your licence on the spot and impound your car…. but, aren’t you innocent so why the ‘roadside penalty’ when Court, like a real Court, could be months away. Just point out to me in these situations where is your ‘presumption of innocence.’

Well, sorry too late….. ask those in Port Augusta if they enjoyed tyranny. (PS: The statistics they quote in the article below don’t mean anything?)

Doctor, Doctor…. I’m not paying your “Gap”

I am a member of a few retired Police Officer and Detective groups which I read and try to constructively contribute to. Many have had real hard times and there is a lot of bitterness, anger and recriminations and allegations about their times of service.

Just lately, while I have been while reading through the posts and comments, I find that they no longer resonate with how I actually see the world.

The bitterness so often displayed, I do not think, is genuinely and objectively looking how we were lucky enough to be able to be make it to a point were we could join ‘retired groups.’ Lots of my mates didn’t make it.

I recently bastardised this quote:

“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

I did this bastardisation when I wrote to a SurgeonSo, Doctor who wanted to charge me a $900.00 gap for a minor medical procedure.  The gap was waives as was that of the anaesthetist.

Please feel free to further bastardise it and be proud of your service and draw its true value to the attention of others in an honourable way…. (Names and a few details changed to be it anonymous – well except for me!

Dear Practice Manager,

Thanks for the email and all the information.

I just had a moment when I received all the information.

I could immediately see that Surgeon XP was a true professional and cared about his patients. I was very impressed by his mentoring of young overseas surgeons, one of whom I met. I am sure all is truely earned by him.

Yes, there is a ‘but’ or I would prefer a ‘however’…..

Professor Bain advised me of the ‘gap’ or ‘out of pocket expenses’ or a new term of prepaying appointments for a year…. I was just interested in my response and feelings when actually seeing it in writing and realising that I would have to call the anaesthetist’s office to find out his/her additional cost?  I’m not going to do that; I’m a little prideful for that.

I think you and most certainly the Professor are aware that I was a retired Police Officer with 38 years experience, 28 as a Detective.

I gave my heart, soul, a marriage and literal blood, sweat and tears in the fulfilment of my oath.  I retired early on invalidity due to stress, anxiety and depression, and moved to my home country town, which I love.  I volunteer, go to Church, was elected to the local Berri Barmera Council, attend a men’s group and run ‘shed squad’ for a few blokes in my own shed on Tuesdays.

I bear no ill will to those I served, for so many years.  An occasional ‘thank you’ was all one could hope for.

I must live with the knowledge that so many slept peacefully in their beds, achieved their aspirations, goals and loves, because I was not with my family, but, one of the men and women who ran towards danger, who became rough in our attitudes and actions, ready to serve violence and take the injuries, so those who slept and rose in the safety we provided,  didn’t have to.  It was our duty, and gift.

So, I am afraid, now, no-one pays my gap. My gap is just carried by me; forever paid for by my family, friends and colleagues.

I did what my Government and community asked of me.

In my career, in those long hours, in the blood and tears, in the lonely recovery and the names I say often, as they didn’t make it…. I have asked no-one to pay my gap.

I’m afraid, that as much as I respect our medical professionals and the difficult job they do, if Surgeon X and the anaesthetist, perhaps on his asking, are not prepared to wave the ‘gap,’ a ‘gap’ incidentally that our Government has decided our medical professionals are not worth. 

Then I must with all good conscience decline the operation and thank the good Surgeon X for his time.

I live in a poor community, but will wait in line for my turn in the public system, that I suspect are finding it as difficult to fulfil their own oaths to serve and I did.

I do not do this request with animosity or judgement on our good Doctors and professional health specialists and health soldiers.

I just feel that it is the principal.  

For me character, integrity and service are always a gift and not a commodity for sale.

With great kindness and respect.

Sincerely,

Ian Schlein

So, I suppose you want to know the result?

Both gaps waived.

I also send a similar letter to Jones and Partners and the ‘scanning’ mobs and have had the gap they make you pay up front refunded.

Its time we pointed out the gap we are ‘required’ to pay is for valuable and often expensive services that the Health Funds and the Government undervalue not us.

War is futile, and it is already here – the casualties lay in our streets everyday.

Our Government is spending millions on missiles and billions on submarines that we won’t get for 20 years. Yet no-one wants to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF) or for that matter the Police. I think the Ambo’s are faring better but spending their well trained and highly qualified working hours sitting on hospital ramps. I think the Firefighters in South Australia anyway are doing good because they look after their people..

Funny thing is that more ADF personnel, Police and Firefighters die from their own hand than the dangers of the jobs they do. They die also in spirit, destroying family units and relationships for their duty is done and the Government throws them away. Brave soldiers live on the streets after fighting for all of us.

Australians traditionally do not behave like this. We look after each other.

Our Governments are teaching us not to.

And… Governments send our resources and young men and women to die, always on foreign soil, always for a fight picked by someone else.

Honestly, fuck the war in the Middle East; it has already been going for 3000 years. Fuck the war in the Ukraine, NATO picked the fight, they can fight it.

We don’t need to keep being ‘deputised’ to fight other peoples wars.

Fuck nuclear weapons….. especially the one that will soon be dropped in either the Middle East or Ukraine.

….. and buy the way there is clean nuclear power plants that use nuclear waste, but unfortunately they don’t have a by product called plutonium which is required for nuclear weapons. Don’t believe me check out this video: Click here

Finally, as the Government is working towards us doing other peoples dirty work and getting to fight people who are mostly just like us, but perhaps not so lucky, we can go about our lives.

Going about our lives means striving for that bigger TV, that better car, both of which are probably made in a country our Government is spending billions to protect us from. And by the way of any, if our ‘enemies’ wanted to invade us, it would be over before lunch!

So, have a nice peaceful day consuming and sleep soundly in you bed tonight because no-one is dropping bombs on us,

A Reflection at Christmas

I may not be a great man …
A rich man …
A man without regrets …

A man without enemies …
… I mostly deserve …
… and those I don’t, should tread carefully and make no mistakes …

A man with friends…
… for seasons and reasons …

A man with lifelong friends…
… where silence …
… distance …
and time, means nothing …

A man with a Band of Brothers…
… as I am to them …
… they call, I come …
… I call and he or she comes … sometimes together …
… they are formidable… some very dangerous … some smarter then me … some just to hold me up …

An orphan man …
… of true family …
… one who chose me …
… one of blood …
A man who found a small few, who became family …

A man as a brother …
A man as a Cousin …
A man …
… who has the honour …
… as a Father …
… a Father-in-Law …
and an Uncle …

A man who lives under the protection …
… of God …
and his Band-of-Brothers when prayer is not enough …
… and when dangerous people are required …
… and the family around him …
… protecting and to be protected … at all costs …

I am a man …
… included in a group of flawed, but, good people …
… family, friends and those I have not yet met …
… people who accept me with all my bad choices and trail of broken hearts …
… broken promises …
and
… regrets …

A man …
… nevertheless …
… who is here so temporarily …
… yet loves every second …
and looks forward to the next …
… who will not leave this mortal coil without a fight …

A man who …
… is lucky …
… is loved …
… loves …
… is grateful …
and… forgiven …

A man …
… who loves Christmas …
… for it’s real meaning …

A man …
… just taking a moment …
… to reflect …

Amen …

Short Post: Biden Speech

I do go on…

So short blogs …… as I see the world….

Biden just told the world he would hand over the US Presidency to Trump peacefully and they met and had a nice chat…..

I love being wrong in my predictions…… but: I make them anyway….

Biden will be dead before Christmas (gently in his sleep?)
Kamala will be President for a bit under a month…..
Multiple assassination attempts on Trump….. they will probably get him…..
There will be a US Constitutional “Crisis”…….

….. and it goes on…. And on…. And on….. And on……

(The new civil war in USA is still not avoided…..)

War ….. in Australia

(See disclaimer before you attack me…)

We can stop the war in the Middle East, the Ukraine/Russia and all the wars in Africa if we……

Stop sending “War Aid”….

We can just send “Humanitarian Aid”….. to the communities and families just like us…..

Look in the ‘background’ of all the footage of these wars……. They are just people like us…. With a kitchen like us, as TV, working a mundane job, having kids, a dog….. and all the stuff we have…..

They are Doctors, garbage collectors, nurse, tradies; with kids going to school….. and then….?

While you think about this, after feeling outraged, offense, deciding your gender and the fairness of your life in Australia….

Take a break….

As you will go to bed, with no fear that someone will drop a bomb on your house tonight.

….. and mostly., we, MUST NOT GET INVOLVED!!!!!!

Dunning-Kruger Effect: Dumb People Think They Are Smart!

Have you ever encountered someone who seems utterly confident in their abilities despite clear evidence to the contrary? Or perhaps you’ve caught yourself feeling overly confident about something you later realized you knew very little about? Welcome to the fascinating world of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

Some of you who have read my stuff before may remember another less scientifically supported syndrome that once you know it you can’t unknow it. This is the group of people who are know as “Six-Percenters.” It’s worth a read but, again I caution, that reading the below post and the Six-Percenter” post can not be unlearned and it will change the way you look at the world (go to Six-Percenter post – click here). There is a disclaimer that if you suffer from either of these two ‘syndromes or effects’ even after reading these posts you won’t necessarily realise it if you are someone who may be afflicted.

What is the Dunning-Kruger Effect?

The Dunning-Kruger effect, named after psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger, describes a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability in a particular area tend to overestimate their competence. In simpler terms, it’s when people who know the least about something mistakenly believe they know the most. This phenomenon can lead to unwarranted confidence and poor decision-making.

How Does It Work?
  1. Ignorance of Ignorance: At the heart of the Dunning-Kruger effect lies the inability of individuals to recognize their own incompetence. This lack of awareness prevents them from accurately assessing their skills or knowledge level.
  2. Overconfidence: Due to this ignorance of their own limitations, people affected by the Dunning-Kruger effect often display high levels of confidence in their abilities. They may assert their opinions strongly, even in the face of contradictory evidence.
  3. Incompetent Performance: Despite their confidence, individuals with low competence typically perform poorly when objectively assessed. Their lack of knowledge or skill becomes apparent when compared to those who are more knowledgeable in the same domain.
  4. Self-Reflection: Interestingly, those who are more competent in a given area may underestimate their abilities. This occurs because they assume others have similar knowledge or skills, leading to a modest self-assessment.
Examples in Everyday Life
  • Social Media: You might have seen individuals confidently arguing about complex topics like economics or politics, despite having little to no formal education or understanding of the subject. I just love these keyboard warriors and spend many hours agreeing with them and providing further false information!
  • At Work: Just note this is where Dunning-Kruger is a plaque. In professional settings, the Dunning-Kruger effect can manifest when employees overestimate their capabilities, leading to the dumb boss being in charge of experts and demanding the experts agree with them. This is also called Politics.
Mitigating the Effect

I had a really scientific and ‘workplace consultant’ answer for this but decided that it sounded too much like I was suffering badly from the Dunning-Kruger effect myself – which incidentally since I learned of this effect I catch myself a lot of the time falling for it.

What I do is, when I am being espoused obvious bullshit from a Dunning-Kruger ‘specialist’ is just nod my head and say ‘really,’ ‘how interesting’ and ‘I didn’t know that.’ It is also a fantastic time to practice active listening and actively observe those also listening to see who is buying the bullshit and who is not. I also encourage those other people to argue!!!

I also use this strategy with ‘bosses’ that are obviously a Dunning-Kruger suffer, which most are, as that’s how they got there! If they require you do do something really stupid, just say ‘Yes.” Mostly they don’t care if you do it, they just want to wield power over you because they believe they are smarter and will never check if you do it or not. So just don’t, they’ll never know. If the argument comes from the Dunning-Kruger subordinate, who thinks they should have your job, just asked them what they would do and then say ‘we’ll all share the responsibility’. They’ll do what you ask.

You Now Know About Six-Percenters and Dunning-Kruger, Sorry

The Dunning-Kruger effect serves as a reminder that humility and self-awareness are essential traits in navigating life’s challenges. It also important that you are not following fools into business or war!

So, next time you find yourself feeling overly confident about something, take a moment to to think about it. Are you truly as knowledgeable as you think, or could the Dunning-Kruger effect be at play? Are you the smartest person in the room, or the Six-Percenter?

René Descartes was wrong! The conspiracy of The Matrix!

I have been alive for a bit over 62 years and a lot has happened in that time. Other than the ridiculous adage of old people bragging about drinking out of the garden hose when they were kids and riding their bikes with the only rule was to be home before it was dark…..????

The world has changed more in the way we are able to understand it than what we can see and do in it.

I read, like in real books, some written hundreds of years, and often centuries ago. I see all the stuff on social media and have friends who not only believe in all the conspiracies but want me to believe as well.

To name just a few of these great conspiracy theories:

  1. The Moon landing (and the hollow Moon theory)
  2. The Rothchilds.
  3. The Great Pyramid
  4. Atlantis
  5. 9/11
  6. Antartica
  7. The flat earth
  8. Ancient civilisations and lost technology
  9. Aliens
  10. Every secret society you can think of

The funny thing about conspiracy theories is that some turn out to be true! A nice little list of conspiracy theories that turned out to be true are in a list on another site with an explanation for each – click here.

I think, dare I say ponder, what if a lot, or even some of the current conspiracy theories are true?

Plus, don’t even mention the price of oil per barrel and the price at the pump…. or the ones that decide how we live. The true global and tyrannical conspiracies that rule our lives and control our minds….. are TRUE. I so hope they are true.

If they are, it means we can do something about them.

The really scary thing is, if they are not true; the alternative is horrifying….

It means:

Our leaders, our Presidents, our Prime Ministers, our Politicians, our Government Departments and all our leading institutions….. are complete morons…..

I hope there are conspiracies to set up a new world order and we are controlled by lizard people who are conducting an experiment on our flat earth from the hollow moon.

For if they are not: we are doing this to ourselves: sorry, we are letting this be done to us, voluntarily without any form of mind control other than advertisements and the fear and hope sold to us by politicians who we all must remember didn’t get their jobs on merit but by winning a popularity contest.

There is no certainty other than ‘I think therefore I am’……

Except….. what if I am a computer program living in the matrix confined by the algorithm that tells me ‘I think therefore I am’ which falsely tells me of my existence, unfortunately in a world that does not exist except in a string of ones and zeros.

So, if you are sitting at home or somewhere else, reading this on your electronic device (smart phone, computer or tablet), I ask you this question……

How, do you know you are?

WE PROVIDE OUR CONSENT TO BE GOVERNED…. FOR NOW?

We are better societies because of good Goverments, our legal and economic systems, our Police and institutions, because, we give our consent for them to exist and for us, to follow their rules and their leadership.

The difficulty is when any, or all of them, as cogs in a great wheel of society, start to take advantage of our benevolence, trust and good will.

When the separation of their power disappears and they become one intertwined and dependent only on themselves to run as a ‘mega-machine’ who’s only purpose is to serve the elite, the powerful, the rich and themselves. This happens while we obliviously continue to provide our faithful consent.

  • the electricity companies continue to raise prices because we consent to this by continuing to pay our bills
  • petrol prices go up more and more, interdependently of the wholesale price and we continue to buy petrol
  • the Police issue more and more fines as the road toll goes up and the roads deteriorate because we pay our fines and drive on the roads without complaint (we actually consent to being abused by the Government and Police when they call us “selfish pricks.”)
  • every way we turn we are being taxed, often twice, three times or more for services, products and our actual work, we consent to this
  • a temporary levy never is; the Emergency Services Levy was impose after the Ash Wednesday Bushfires in the 1980’s. Yet theI Country Fire Service Brigades still have to fund raise to buy there own equipment; as do the Royal Flying Doctor Service

Most do not notice the creeping of the law to erode our freedoms; firearms prohibition orders; freedom of assembly laws; terrorism detention laws etc etc, all done with our consent.

Capitalism is the system we have and not withstanding so much rhetoric we hear nowadays, the best system we have at the moment. But, it requires two very important things, private property and the rule of law.

It provides for us to have freedom of expression and freedom more generally. It allows for us to keep the things we create and work for.

However when our Government serves itself and the separation of powers no longer exist, it is time to stop pandering to a morally corrupt, if not literally corrupt regime. We now have generations being taught to hate their own society and even themselves and to create ideologies based on no empirical evidence.

George Orwell in his book titled 1984 which he wrote just after World War II, in the above ‘quote’  intended it as a warning against a totalitarian government that controls every aspect of citizens’ lives.

Look how our ‘history’ is being rewritten, reinterpreted and weaponised against our current society creating the group and tribe mentality that divides a society.  This is a know political strategy the concept refers to a strategy that breaks up existing power structures, and especially prevents smaller power groups from linking up, causing rivalries and fomenting discord among the people to prevent a rebellion against the elites or the people implementing the strategy.“. If you think this is not happening, you’re not looking.

I know it may feel like a democracy, but, more and more it is just beginning to only feel like it, and not truely be one. I hear the defeatist already saying what can I do about it. Well there are many things, but it will require concentration.

I wrote a blog post not long ago called ‘The Revolution – Phase 1 – You Can Join for Free’ which can be located by clicking here. That is the first step in ‘doing something’. I did promise more and will expand on this in a future post, but how about a few quick ones that do require effort, a pen and paper (or a computer if you write in cursive like me and no-one can read it), an envelope and a stamp. You will see that some of the letters below are written in cursive. I do it deliberately as it drives them crazy!

Also, writing these letters gives a feeling of achievement. There are just a few rules I abide by:

  1. I am always polite.
  2. I stick to the facts.
  3. I put in something humorous, usually a personal anecdote that caused me to write and what I am feeling
  4. I remind them about this involving people and not just things.
  5. I put a reminder in my diary three months into the future to follow up if I don’t get a reply in that time.

I have done this many times, sometimes having to follow up multiple times but I have a formula; I follow up in 3 months, write another letter with the first letter enclosed;
A month after that I do the same thing:
A fortnight after that I do the same thing:
A week later the same:
I never give up.

I also have another strategy which goes hand in hand with this one. In addition to sending the hard copy, I go to their website and send the same text electronically, and if possible load up the documents and send them that way.

The beauty of this strategy is that ‘they’ hate getting hard copies and even more wonderfully the electronic copy and the hard copy never match up and you get two different replies – and away you go again!

Stay sane, and do it mostly to say you are doing it for fun and fairness. Then you can say at least you are doing something. Ask yourself and others, is the cost of living effecting us and does the 500% markup by retailers effect us….. Well, I have written them a letter?!!!

So, who am I writing to:
(Some of these may take a little research on the internet, but, that in itself can be informative and stop you – well mainly – we wasting 5 hours watching YouTube ‘shorts’)

  • Write to any company who’s product you buy and find it substandard.
    ( I once wrote to ‘Sharpie’ markers as one in a new pack was dry – they sent me a shoe box full!).
  • Write to Woolworths and Coles.
  • Write to the fuel companies.
  • Write to charities and ask them what percentage of their donations is spent on Administration.
  • Write to your local and federal member, and the current ministers in Government about what is hurting you at the moment, what you need, what your communities needs, what our country needs (which is not billions of dollars in nuclear submarines 25 years in the future, when we don’t have enough hospital beds NOW!!!)

This doesn’t sound much. But, imagine ‘a company’ that gets maybe 10 complaints a year suddenly gets 5,000 – they will start to take notice as will the Media (the Merchants of Misery).

I have a few other ‘revolution strategies’ I just do for me:

  • I write letters of accolade and thanks.
  • Any bill I pay electronically I pay one cent less or round it up or down to the nearest five cents.
  • I never pay traffic tickets. I elect to go to court and talk to a Magistrate, not explain myself to a belligerent 25 year old on the side of the road (blog post coming up about how to do this and pay less than the ticket!)
    • I never pay my fines but ring up or email fines enforcement branch and pay the minimum amount a fortnight.

I have included a few of my letters to give you ideas and one I got back from Gamin after I returned a broken GPS to throw away on my behalf as it belonged to an old mate and I didn’t have the heart to throw it away?!

Letter from Garmin. Letter to Office Works. Letter to Council. Letter to Strongbow

Marching on the street has a place; but it only last a day – and you better not disrupt any business as that is now a $25,000.00 fine recently legislated up from $500.00. I will attest to the pen being mightier than the sword and knowing that “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” (Publius Ovidius Naso, a Roman Poet circa 33B.)

Be that dripping water.

Australia Day… and the Date is?!

I was going to keep my mouth shut today but just can’t help myself.

But, before you hear my thoughts on the matter I would ask you to read the lyrics of this song by The Seekers (a link to a YouTube clip of the song is here).

I came from the Dreamtime
From the dusty red-soil plains
I am the ancient heart
The keeper of the flame
I stood upon the rocky shores
I watched the tall ships come
For forty thousand years I’ve been
The first Australian

I came upon the prison ship
Bound down by iron chains
I fought the land
Endured the lash
And waited for the rains
I’m a settler
I’m a farmer’s wife
On a dry and barren run
A convict, then a free man
I became Australian

I’m the daughter of a digger
Who sought the mother load
The girl became a woman
On the long and dusty road
I’m a child of the depression
I saw the good times come
I’m a bushy, I’m a battler
I am Australian

We are one
But we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We’ll share a dream
And sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian

I’m a teller of stories
I’m a singer of songs
I am Albert Namatjira
And I paint the ghostly gums
I’m Clancy on his horse
I’m Ned Kelly on the run
I’m the one who waltzed matilda
I am Australian

I’m the hot wind from the desert
I’m the black soil of the plain
I’m the mountains and the valleys
I’m the drowned and flooding rains
I am the rock
I am the sky
The rivers when they run
The spirit of this great land
I am Australian

We are one
But we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We’ll share a dream
And sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian

We are one
But we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We’ll share a dream
And sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian

We are one
But we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We’ll share a dream
And sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian

I am, you are, we are Australian

So, me, I don’t care much what day we celebrate being Australian, so long as we have a day to celebrate it together. The date is irrelevant.

I have Christmas with my daughters on Boxing Day. What are the chances that Jesus was actually born on 25th December, slim, but that’s not the point, it is a day to celebrate.

I believe faith, courage, pride, inclusion, understanding don’t need a set day, we should live our Australian values every day with everyone. Most special days we now celebrate are just made up and created to sell us stuff. Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Valentines Day and a whole heap of new ones. Halloween for example was traditionally an English pagan celebration and was commercialised by the United States and has now been sold to Australia!

No matter what the date, or what the day is we are celebrating, no one is dropping bombs on us, no enemy is invading our shores, we can travel freely, go to the supermarket for food and have clean water right in every house; plus, clothes on our back, education and be a member of any social group you please. We don’t like our government, we vote them out.

Few countries in the world have all of that.

So on Australia Day, we celebrate and should be humbled, we stand on the shoulders of giants who are our ancestral Australians from 60,000 years ago to 6 months ago when someone whose name we can’t pronounce pledged allegiance to Australia…. to you, to me, to all of us.

Just one more thing to really drive you crazy. Why do we have another countries flag on our flag. Oh, please don’t say people fought and died for that flag. No they didn’t! They fought for each other and their families and friends back home in Australia: which is not a flag it is a people and the land on which they live. Historically we have always fought for our land, our families, our communities and what we call our country.

Perhaps we need a new Australia Day, perhaps we need a new Australian Flag, one thing we all need to realise is that:

I am, you are, we are Australian…

PS: If you would like a little more about the history of Australia and the 26th of January click here to read a letter sent to my local paper.